Splitting machine



Dec. 6, 1966 s, LCARTER ETAL 3,289,510

SPLTTTING MACHINE Filed Oct. l2, 1965 3.7 ka 35a 7? INVENTORS SIDNEY z..CARTER ALAN G TSCHMIT BY U ATTORNE YS United States Patent Oiice3,289,510' Patented Dec. 6, 1956 3,289,510 SPLlTTING MACHINE Sidney L.Carter and Alan Gutschmit, both of Lumberton, N.C., assignors to AlamacKnitting Mills, inc., New York, N.Y.

Filed Oct. 12, 1965, Ser. No. 495,167 7 Claims. (Cl. 83--151) Thepresent invention relates, in general, to textile machinery and, inparticular, to apparatus for splitting tubular knit cloth.

At the present time tubular knit cloth is split by inserting an internalspreader into the cloth. The internal spreader has rolls which engagethe inside surface of the cloth. Normally, the spreader is clamped in ahorizontal position by edge drive rolls. The cloth is held between theexternal edge drive rolls and the internal rolls of the spreader. Theedge drive rolls are driven and move the cloth across the spreader. Aset of nip rolls pull the cloth from the spreader at the delivery end ofthe spreader. A rotary knife is placed at one edge of the cloth betweenthe edge drive rolls and the nip rolls. The cloth is split as it isdriven past the rotary knife.

One major shortcoming of this type of splitting machine is that as thecloth is squeezed between the edge drive rolls and the internal rolls ofthe spreader, the cloth becomes marked The mark appears through thecenter of the cloth as it is finished.

It is an object of the present invention to provide new and improvedcloth splitting apparatus.

It is another object of the present invention to provide apparatus forsplitting tubular knit cloth which does not mark the cloth as it isbeing split.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide clothsplitting apparatus which is relatively simple in construction and easyto maintain.

A preferred form of the present invention to be described in more detailhereinafter includes a cutting tool for splitting a tubular knit clothand conveying means for feeding a single thickness of the tubular knitcloth to the cutting tool. The conveying means are so disposed as to liewithin the tubular knit cloth as the tubular knit cloth is fed to thecutting tool. Also included are means disposed behind the back edge ofthe cutting tool for supporting the conveying means and means adjacentboth sides of the cutting tool for grasping the split edges of the clothafter it has been split by the cutting tool and for drawing the clothpast the cutting tool.

For a better understanding of the present invention, together with otherand further objects thereof, reference is made to the followingdescription, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, and itsscope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawing:

FIGURE l is a perspective view of a portion of a cloth splitting machineconstructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of cloth splitting apparatus constructed inaccordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional View taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4 4 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged view of a portion of the apparatus of FIGURE 1;and

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken along line 5*6 of FIGURE 5.

Referring to FIGURES 1 through 4, inclusive, tubular knit cloth,designated by reference numeral 10, is conveyedV horizontally from aconventional knitting machine, not shown, to a cutting tool such as arotary knife 11 by means of a pair of V belts 12a and 12b. The rotaryknife 11 is driven by means of an endless belt 32 which, in turn, isdriven by a suitable drive, not shown, coupled through a shaft 33 to apulley 34. The rotary knife 11 is mounted on a framework designatedgenerally by reference numeral 15 by means of a pair of vertical arms41a and 41!) having angle brackets 42a and 42b, respectively, at theirupper ends. The arms 41a and 41!) extend upward from a horizontal basemember 17.

As will become apparent from the following description, the machineryshown in the drawing is symmetrical about the rotary knife 11.Therefore, corresponding elements have been given the same referencenumerals except that the reference numerals of elements to the left ofthe rotary knife are followed by the letter a, while the referencenumerals of elements to the right of the rotary knife are followed bythe letter b.

The V belts are driven by a suitable drive, not shown, coupled to one oftwo pulleys 13 and 14 having dual grooves to engage the two V belts. Thepulleys 13 and 14 are mounted in the framework 15. The pulley 13 issupported by a pair of vertical arms 16a and 1Gb extending upward fromthe horizontal base member 17, while the pulley 14 is supported by apair of Vertical arms 13a and 1819 extending upward from the horizontalbase member 1'7. The framework 15 is supported within the main structureof the splitting machine by means of a pair of brackets 19a and 1gbwhich are aixed to the horizontal base member 17 at a point behind theback edge of rotary knife 11.

An idler 2t) is provided for supporting the V belts 12a and 12b at somepoint intermediate the pulleys 13 and 14 and for adjusting the tensionof the V belts in the event they stretch. Such an adjustment may beeffected by pivoting a pair of arms 21a and 2lb which support idler 2Gabout a bolt 22 or by moving the bolt 22 along a slot 23 in thehorizontal base member 17. A brush roller 24 precedes the V belts 12aand 12b. The purpose of the brush roller 24 is to have the cloth 10engaged by a relatively smooth circular surface rather than by a surfacehaving sharp edges such as the pulley 13. The brush roller 24 issupported by a pair of vertical arms 30a and 36h extending upward fromthe horizontal base member 17. The brush roller `24 is proviided with aguide rail 31 which prevents the cloth 10 from falling between the sidesof the brush roller and the arms 30a and 50i).n The rail 31 provides thesame protection at the pulley 13.

The cloth 16 is allowed to bag down and is placed on the brush roller24. A fan 25 is provided for blowing air into the tubular cloth 1t) soas to balloon the cloth thereby facilitating the guidance of the clothto the rotary knife 11. The dimensions of the tubular cloth 10 and theframework 15 are such that the framework lies within the tubular clothon its approach to the rotary knife 11 with the result that the cloth isfed to the knife in a single thickness. The rotary knife 11 makes asingle cut along a line 10 at the top of the cloth 10 in splitting thecloth. Upon being cut, the cloth 1t) drapes beneath the framework 15.

After the cloth 10 is split7 it is guided around a pair of guides 26aand 2612 adjacent both sides of the rotary knife 11 to a plurality ofpairs of pin plates 27a and 27b. The newly split edges of the cloth 10are picked up by the pins of the pin plates as the cloth is caughtbetween the pin plates and a pair of rotary brushes 28a and 28h. Theguides 26a and 2617 prevent curling of the nev/ly split unfinishedcloth. The rotary brushes 28a and 28h are supported from angles at thetop ends of the guides 26a and 26h, respectively, which, in turn, areaffixed to the angle brackets 42a and 42]), respectively.

The pin plates 27a and 27b are arranged on a pair of standard endlessroller chains 29a and 29h, respectively. The endless roller chain 29aruns between a first sprocket 35a and a second sprocket 36a, while theendless roller chain 2% runs between sprockets 35.5 and Seb. The drivesto the two roller chains may be imparted through a pair of shafts 43aand 43h secured to the sprockets 35a and 35b, respectively, by means offlanges 44a and 44h, respectively. The pin plates 27a and 27b draw thesplit cloth past and away from the rotary knife i 11 in the samedirection in which the tubular knit cloth is fed to the rotary knife. Asseen in the drawing, the chains 29a Kand 29]) diverge. The split clothwhich is draped beneath the framework l5, therefore, opens or spreadsfrom a tubular piece into a substantially flat sheet j as it moves awayfrom the rotary knife. The distance j between the sprockets 36a and 36his adjustable and iS set in accordance with the width of the cloth beingsplit. FIGURES and 6 show the details of the pin plates j 27a and 27band the manner in which the pin plates are arranged on the endlessroller chains 29a and 29h. As i shown in FIGURES 5 and 6, the pin plate27a, having a plurality of pins 37, is secured to a lug 38 extendingdownl ward from the sideplate il of a link by means of a bolt i 39 and anut di). The pin plates 27a are so dimensioned as to be secured to everyother link in the chain 29a This arrangement permits the pin plates tonegotiate the turns at the sprockets 35a, 3512, 36a and 3511.

Although the invention has been described in connection with thesplitting of tubular knit cloth, it will be apparent that it may beemployed in the splitting of other flexible materials.

While there has been described what is at present -considered to be thepreferred embodiment of this invention it will be obvious to thoseskilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be madetherein without departing from the invention and it is', therefore,aimed to cover all such' changes and modifications as fall within thetrue spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for splitting tubular knit cloth comprismg:

a cutting tool for splitting a tubular knit cloth;

conveying means for feeding a single thickness of said tubular knitcloth to said cutting tool, said conveying means so disposed as to liewithin said tubular knit cloth as said tubular knit cloth is fed to saidcutting tool;

means disposed behind the back edge of said cutting tool for supportingsaid conveying means;

and means adjacent both sides of said cutting tool for grasping thesplit edges of said cloth after it has been split by said cutting tooland for drawing said cloth past said cutting tool.

2. Apparatus for splitting tubular knit cloth comprising:

la rotary knife for splitting a tubular knit cloth;

conveying means including a pair of endless belts disposed on oppositesides of said rotary knife for feeding a single thickness of saidtubular knit cloth to said rotary knife, said conveying means sodisposed as to lie within said tubular knit cloth as said tubular knitcloth is fed to said rotary knife;

means disposed behind the back edge of said rotary knife for supportingsaid conveying means;

and means adjacent both sides of said rotary knife for grasping thesplit edges of said cloth after it has been split by said rotary knifeand for drawing said cloth past said rotary knife.

3. Apparatus for splitting tubular knit cloth comprising:

a cutting tool for splitting a tubular knit cloth;

conveying means for feeding a single thickness of said tubular knitcloth to said cutting tool, said conveying means so disposed as to liewithin said tubular knit cloth as said tubular knit cloth is fed to saidcutting tool;

-4- means disposed behind the back edge of said cutting tool forsupporting said conveying means; a pair of endless chains disposed onopposite sides of said cutting tool;

5 and a plurality of pins secured to said chains for grasping the splitedges of said cloth after it has been split by said cutting tool and fordrawing said cloth past said cutting tool.

4. Apparatus for splitting tubular knit cloth comprising:

a rotary knife for splitting a tubular knit cloth;

conveying means including a pair of endless belts disposed parallel tosaid rotary knife on opposite sides of said rotary knife for feeding asingle thickness of said tubular knit cloth to said rotary knife, saidconveying means so disposed as to lie within said tubular knit cloth assaid tubular knit cloth is fed to said rotary knife;

means disposed behind the back edge of said rotary knife for supportingsaid conveying means;

a pair of endless chains disposed on opposite sides of said rotaryknife;

and a plurality of plates secured to said chains, each of said plateshaving a plurality of pins for grasping the split edges of said clothafter it hasbeen split by said rotary knife and for drawing said clothpast said rotary knife.

5. Apparatus for splitting tubular knit cloth comprising:

a cutting tool for splitting a tubular knit cloth;

conveying means for feeding a single thickness of said tubular knitcloth to said cutting tool, said conveying means so disposed as to liewithin said tubular knit cloth as said tubular knit cloth is fed to saidcutting tool;

means disposed behind the back edge of said cutting tool for supportingsaid conveying means;

and means adjacent both sides of said cutting tool for grasping thesplit edges of said cloth after it has been split by said cutting tooland for drawing said cloth past said cutting tool in the same directionin which said tubular knit cloth is fed to said cutting tool.

6. Apparatus for splitting tubular knit cloth comprising:

a rotary knife for splitting a tubular knit cloth conveyed horizontallyfrom a knitting machine;

conveying means including a pair of endless belts disposed horizontallyon opposite sides of said rotary knife for feeding a single thickness ofsaid tubular knit cloth to said rotary knife to be split along a line onthe top of said tubular knit cloth, said conveying means so disposed asto lie within said tubular knit -cloth as said tubular knit cloth is fedto said rotary knife;

means disposed behind the back edge of said rotary knife for supportingsaid conveying means;

a pair of endless chains disposed on opposite sides of said rotaryknife;

and a plurality of pins secured to said chains for grasping the splitedges of said cloth after it has been split by said rotary knife and fordrawing said cloth past said rotary knife in the same direction in whichsaid tubular knit cloth is fed to said rotary knife.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the endless r chains arearranged to diverge from each other whereby the split fabric spreadsinto a substantially at sheet.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,628,215 5/1927Zoline 83--425 X 1,801,757 4/1931 Shippling 83-175 3,196,723 7/1965 Cohnet al 83-23 WILLIAM W. DYER, IR., Primary Examiner.

I. M. MEISTER, Assistant Examiner.

1. APPARATUS FOR SPLITTING TUBULAR KNIT CLOTH COMPRISING: A CUTTING TOOLFOR SPLITTING A TUBULAR KNIT CLOTH; CONVEYING MEANS FOR FEEDING A SINGLETHICKNESS OF SAID TUBULAR KNIT CLOTH TO SAID CUTTING TOOL, SAIDCONVEYING MEANS SO DISPOSED AS TO LIE WITHIN SAID TUBULAR KNIT CLOTH ASSAID TUBULAR KNIT CLOTH IS FED TO SAID CUTTING TOOL; MEANS DISPOSEDBEHIND THE BACK EDGE OF SAID CUTTING TOOL FOR SUPPORTING SAID CONVEYINGMEANS; AND MEANS ADJACENT BOTH SIDES OF SAID CUTTING TOOL FOR GRASPINGTHE SPLIT EDGES OF SAID CLOTH AFTER IT HAS BEEN SPLIT BY SAID CUTTINGTOOL AND FOR DRAWING SAID CLOTH PAST SAID CUTTING TOOL.